How does a spectrophotometer work?

This short animation demonstrates the inner workings of a spectrophotometer. Practice using a virtual spectrophotometer: https://www.ncbionetwork.org/educatio...

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Here's how a spectrophotometer works. A lamp provides the source of light. The beam of light strikes the diffraction grating, which works like a prism and separates the light into its component wavelengths. The grating is rotated so that only a specific wavelength of light reaches the exit slit. Then the light interacts with the sample. From this point, the detector measures the transmittance and absorbance of the sample. Transmittance refers to the amount of light that passes completely through the sample and strikes the detector. Absorbance is a measurement of light that is absorbed by the sample. The detector senses the light being transmitted through the sample and converts this information into a digital display.